Apparatus for the treatment of sewage.



T. CRANEY.

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT 0F SEWAGE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24,1914.

Patented A1311 6, 1915.

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T. CRANEY.

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT 0F SEWAGE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, I914.

1,134,107., Patented Apr.6,1915.

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. n TTOH/I/EyfS ,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

THOMAS CRANEY, OF :BAY CTY, MICHIGAN.

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT 'OF SEWAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Application led February 24, 1914. Serial No. 826,653.

T0 all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS CRANEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Treatment of Sewage, of which the following is a specication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to apparatus for the treatment of sewage and other refuse matter, and has for its object, first, the separation of the solid from the liquid constituents, and further the sterilizing of the liquid before it is finally discharged, thereby avoiding danger of contagion.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section therethrough; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan view.

A is a suitable vat or receptacle, into one end of which sewage is led through an inlet conduit B. This vat is preferably provided with a hopper-shaped bottom, and a conveyer C is arranged to remove the solid matter collecting in this hopper. The vat is also divided into a series of compartments by cross partitions D, which extend from the bottom upward.

Between the partitions D there are arranged within the several compartments transversely-extending trays E for holding electrodes. These are preferably formed of boards or planks E separated from each other by vertical strips E2 and forming a series of pockets E3, which may be filled with granular carbon or other suitable material for an electrode.l The trays are formed in pairs and are secured within the compartment slightly spaced from each other, as indicated at F, so as to prevent danger of short circuiting.

Between the trays E and the partitions D there are arranged screens or filters G for separating the solid matter from the liquid in the upward path of the current. These screens or filters are progressively of ner mesh, so that the coarser material is separated and remains in the first of the compartments, and progressively finer material is separated in each of the succeeding compartments. At the opposite end of the vat are arranged gates I-I, which may be raised or lowered to establish the desired liquid level and which permit the overflow of liquid to be discharged from the vat. There is also arranged along the side of the tank a conduit I connected by tubes I with each of the compartments near the liquid level therein and serving the purpose of carrying ofi1 the ioating grease which may be conveyed to a suitable receptacle therefor (not shown).

Vith the construction as thus far described in use, the electrodes in the adjacent pairs of trays which occupy the same compartment are connected respectively to the positive and negative leads from a source of electrical energy. The voltage is comparatively low, but is nevertheless suiicient to produce an electrolytic action which decomposes certain salts forming constituent parts of the liquid. This will have the effect of .producing a disinfecting or germicidal liquid, which is commingled with the stream passing alternately downward and upward adjacent to the trays and over the partitions D. As has been stated, the solid material will be separated by the screens or filters, while the remaining liquid will pass onward from compartment to compartment and before being finally discharged will be completely sterilized. This effectl is produced by the successive electrolytic treatments in each of the compartments and the germicidal substances which are formed by the electrolysis.

The solid material which collects in each of the compartments will gradually settle to the bottom and pass downward along the inclined sides of the hopper until it comes into proximity to the conveyer C. This is slowly operated to carry the material outward through a suitable conduit J, and when discharged it may be passed to an incinerator or disposed of in any other manner.

The current is conveyed to the material in the various pockets through sulll: connections, such as the carbon or graphite rods K, extending downward and imbedded in the material, while metallic conductors (not shown) may be attached to this carbon rod. In place of forming the trays from wood, they may be formed of unglazed Crockery, or other porous and non-metallic material, supported by any suitable frame.

While my apparatus is primarily designed for the treatment of sewage, it is obvious that it may be used for purifying or sterilizing liquids of any kind and may be even used in the purification of Water. For such purpose the screens or filters Gr are finer and serve to remove the suspended particles from the water, While the electrical' treatment will sterilize the same. Y

VVhat I claim as my invention is l. An apparatus yfor the treatment of liquids containing solid matter, comprising a vat having a series of transversely-extending partitions extending from the bottom upward to form a series of compartments communicating with each other above said partitions, positive and negative electrodes arranged inV adjacent pairs and extending acrossthe vat, depending in eachy compartment between partitions, and Y a separate screen or lter arranged in inclined Vposition between the partition and electrodesV lon the ascending side of theliquid current for sepa-` rating the solid from the liquid matter'. i y v2.' in apparatus for treating liquids containing solid matter, comprising a, vat havinga hopper-shaped bottom, a series of cross partitions in said vat dividing the same into compartments communicating with/ each v other above said partitions, trays for .holding positive and negative electrodes arranged in l pairs and ,extending across the vat, depending 1n each compartment thereof, thereby compelling the liquid passing through the vat to take a vzigzag course about said electrodes and partitions, screens or filters ar'- ranged between said electrodes and partitions in the path of the upwardly-directed liquid current, and a conveyer extendingY along the hopper bottom of said vat for removing the separated solid matter from the several compartments.

Y 3. An apparatus for the treatment of liquids containing solid matter, .comprising aY vat having a hopper bottom, a series of cross partitions in said vat dividing the same into separate compartments communicating With eachother over thetopsof the partitions, a series of trays extending transversely ofthe vat intermediate said partitions, separated pairsof cells formed by said trays adjacent to eachother filled with conducting material forming electrodes, and meansV for connecting the electrodes ofy adjacent pairs respectively to the positive and negative leads cfa source of electrical energy.

i 4. An apparatus for the treatment of liquids containing solid matter, comprising a vat provided with a plurality of compartments having communication with each other, positive and negative electrodes arranged in each compartment the path of the material to be treated, a means for establishing the desired liquid level Within saidv vat, and a conduiteextending longitudinally e of said vat and communicating with each of said compartments for'carrying off any iloat- Y ing substance on the surface of said liquid.

5. An apparatus for the treatment, of liquids containing. solid matter, kkcomprising a vat, ,a series of transversely Yextending,par-V` titions in. said vatdivlding thesame-k into separate compartments, means :for passing the material to Abeftreated'through sald vat, positive and negative electrodesk arranged 1n Vthe path Vofthev material passingV therethrough, and a separate screenI arranged between said electrodes and a partition in each compartment, the screens in said lcompartments' being of throughout the vat,

6. An' apparatus for treatingV liquids containingsolid matter, comprising arvatprovided with a series of cross partitions dividing the sameinto compartments communlcating with each other' above said partitions,

progressively finer mesh and pairs of positive and negative electrodes depending into said compartments and exH tending lacrossthe-vat', said partitions and electrodes compelling the liquid passing through the lvatto takea zigzag course.

7. An apparatus `for treating liquids-'conu taining solid matter, comprising a vat Vhav- YP-- ing the lower portionv thereof divided YVinto a serieso'f compartments by a series' of crosse. Y partitions, the upper portion thereof being` one compartment, and a yplurality of pairs of substantiallyl solid parallelly-extending mi spaced `electro -positive and negativeelectrodes arranged in ther-upper compartment and extending across 'said vat, said pairspof electrodes depending into the series of com.-

partments in the lower portion ofrjsaid vat between said partitions,said electrodes and cross partitions being adapted to compel the liquid passing through saidvat to take a Zig- Za COllISe.

n testimony.V whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses,v

l' THOMAS CRANEY. Witnesses: Y i i f JA'MnsP. BARRY, PHYLLIs CoBImN.

Y Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, byia'dtlresrsing the Gommissiner o! Patenti, Y Washington-RG. A l 

